Clothes container with an extendable clothes hanging system

ABSTRACT

A device and method for containing and hanging clothes, according to which the clothes are contained in a body member and a hanging system is manually moved between a retracted position in which it is supported by, and contained in, the body member, and an extended position in which it is supported by, and extends from, the body member. The clothes can be hung on the hanging system in its extended position.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to U.S. provisional patent applicationNo. 60/797,843, filed on May 5, 2006, the disclosure of which isincorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

This invention relates to a clothes container for storing and/ortransporting clothes, and more particularly, to such a container havingan extendable clothes hanging system.

Containers for storing and transporting clothes, such as suitcases,luggage, valises, trunks, containers, cartons, cases, and the like, arewell known. However, none provide for hanging the clothes, although sucha need often arises in situations where the clothes need to bedisplayed, such as at fashion shows, at retailers, or the like, or whenthe clothes are transported and there is inadequate closet space at thedestination.

The present invention addresses this need.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a clothes containing device that containsa retracted clothes hanging system (not shown) according to anembodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a view similar to that of FIG. 1, but depicting the device ofFIG. 1 with the clothes hanging system shown in its extended position.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to that of FIGS. 1 and 2, but depicting clotheshung on the extended clothes hanging system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIG. 1 the reference numeral 10 refers to a clothescontaining device for storing and/or transporting clothes, which, forthe purpose of example, is shown as being in the form of a suitcaseformed by a hollow rectangularly-shaped body member 12. The device 10includes a handle 14, two rollers (one of which is shown by thereference numeral 16), and an extendable handle 18 that is shown in itsretracted position. Although not shown in FIG. 1, it is understood thatthe body member 12 contains an extendable clothes hanging system, to bedescriber later, which is retracted and within the confines of the bodymember. An opening is provided in the wall 12 a and a zipper 19 extendsacross the opening to selectively open and close the opening. In theopen position the clothes hanging system can be extended out of the bodymember 12 in a manner to be described.

As better shown in FIG. 2, the body member 12 has two end walls 12 a and12 b, two side walls 12 c and 12 d, a back wall 12 e, and a front wall12 f. The walls 12 a-12 e are formed integrally or are connected in anyconventional manner, and the front wall 12 f is pivotally mounted to theside wall 12 d. The front wall 12 f is shown in its closed position inFIG. 1 to form a generally rectangular structure that defines aninternal storage area. The front wall 12 f is shown in its open positionin FIG. 2, it being understood that it can be attached to the remainingportion of the body member 12 in any conventional manner, such as by azipper, or the like (not shown). The corners defined at the junctions ofthe end walls 12 a and 12 b and the side walls 12 c and 12 d are curvedfor aesthetic reasons.

It is understood that the walls 12 a-12 f can be constructed ofmaterials well known in the art. For example, one or more of the walls12 a-12 f could consist of ballistic nylon, cloth, leather, or othersimilar material surrounding a frame consisting of a rigid material,such as metal.

An extendable clothes hanging system according to an embodiment of theinvention is supported by the body member 12 and is shown, in general,by the reference numeral 20. The system 20 is shown in its fullyextended position in FIG. 2 it being understood that, in its retractedposition of FIG. 1, it is completely contained within the interior ofthe body member 12.

The system 20 consists of a center strut 24 a extending between two endstruts 24 b and 24 c to form an Hank-shaped base frame. The ends of thecenter strut 24 a can be connected to the inner edges of the struts 24 band 24 c, respectively, at their respective mid-points, or the strut 24a can be formed integrally with the struts 24 b and 24 c.

Two tabs 26 a and 26 b extend from the outer edges of the struts 24 band 24 c, respectively, at their respective mid-points. The tabs 26 aand 26 b can be connected to, or formed integrally with, the struts 24 band 24 c, respectively. It is understood that one or more of the struts24 a, 24 b, and 24 c can be fastened to the aforementioned frame of theend wall 12 b in any known manner such as by rivets or the like.

A telescoping assembly 30 is provided along the inner side wall 12 c ofthe body member 12 and consists of three elongated telescoping members30 a, 30 b, and 30 c, each having a rectangular cross-section, with themember 30 b being telescoped in the member 30 a, and the member 30 cbeing telescoped in the member 30 b. The outermost member 30 a isfastened to the upper surface of the tab 26 a and to the aforementionedframe of the side wall 12 c in any known manner.

A telescoping assembly 34 is provided along the inner side wall 12 d ofthe body member 12 and consists of three elongated telescoping members34 a, 34 b, and 34 c, each having a rectangular cross-section, with themember 34 b being telescoped in the member 34 a, and the member 34 cbeing telescoped in the member 34 b. The outermost member 30 a isfastened to the upper surface of the tab 26 a and to the aforementionedframe of the side wall 12 d in any known manner. In their extendedposition, the members 30 b and 34 b project out from the opening in thebody member that is normally closed by the zipper 19.

Two rectangularly-shaped support members 38 a and 38 b are connected tothe respective projecting ends of the members 30 c and 34 c,respectively, (the upper ends as viewed in FIG. 2), in any conventionalmanner. Each support member 38 a and 38 b has a transversely-extending,through opening.

A horizontally extending telescoping assembly 40 is also provided andconsists of an outer member 40 a, the respective end portions of whichextend within the above openings in the support members 38 a and 38 b sothat the assembly 40 is supported by the assemblies 30 and 34. Theassembly 40 also includes two inner members 40 b and 40 c that aretelescoped in the respective end portions of the outer member 40 a. Eachmember 40 a, 40 b and 40 c has a rectangular cross-section, and two endcaps 40 d and 40 e are provided on the ends of the members 40 b and 40c.

Although not shown in the drawings, it is understood that thetelescoping assemblies 30, 34, and 40 can be provided with detents, orthe like, in order to enable the assemblies to be locked in the fullyextended positions shown in FIG. 2 or in partially extended positions.Since locking mechanisms of this type are well known in the art, theywill not be described in further detail.

In operation, and assuming that the system 20 is completely retracted inthe body member 12 of the device 10, and that clothes have been storedand/or transported in the aforementioned internal storage area of thebody member 12, the zipper 19 is opened to permit manual access to thesystem 20. The member 40 a of the assembly 40 is then manually graspedand pulled upwardly, as viewed in the drawings, until the assemblies 30and 34 expand in the vertical direction and reach their fully orpartially extended position. Then the members 40 b and 40 c are expandedin a horizontal direction by pulling them out of the member 40 a untilthey reach their fully or partially extended position. As shown in FIG.3, this permits the clothes to be hung on the telescoping assembly 40.

The above embodiment thus provides an extremely convenient way ofhanging clothes that are contained in the device 10.

Variations

It is understood that variations may be made in the above, withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention. Examples of the variationsare as follows:

-   -   The device 10 has been described as a suitcase for the purpose        of example only, it being understood that other containers can        be used such as, for example, a piece of luggage, a valise, a        briefcase, a trunk, a container, a carton, a case, a box, or any        other similar device.    -   The embodiment described above is not limited to the particular        suitcase shown and described above, but rather any other type of        suitcase may be used.    -   If the design of the body member is such that the tabs 26 a and        26 b are not necessary, such as when the junctions between the        walls 12 a-12 d are not curved, the tabs can be eliminated and        the respective ends of the members 30 a and 34 a can be attached        directly to the struts 24 b and 24 c.    -   The system 20 can be extended to, and locked in, one or more        partially extended position. Also, in one of the partially        extended positions, the telescoping assembly 40 could be used as        a handle, thus eliminating the need for any type of handle,        including the handle 18 in the example discussed above.    -   The above embodiment is not limited to “vertical” movement of        the telescoping assemblies 30 and 34 and to “horizontal”        movement of the assembly 40. Rather, the movements of the        assembly 40 are in a plane perpendicular to the plane of        movements of the assemblies 30 and 34, and the movements of all        the assemblies can be in any direction.    -   The above embodiment is not limited to two telescoping        assemblies (30 and 34) fastened to the respective side walls of        the body member 12 but rather any number of assembles can be        fastened along the walls 12 a-12 e.    -   The number and cross-sectional shape of the telescoping members        in each telescoping assembly can be varied.    -   The zipper 19 is not necessary as long as an opening is provided        in the body member that permits the assembly 20 to move between        its retracted and expanded position.

Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many othervariations and modifications of the embodiment described above can bemade without materially departing from the novel teachings andadvantages of this invention. Accordingly, all such variations andmodifications are intended to be included within the scope of thisinvention as defined in the following claims. In the claims,means-plus-function clauses are intended to cover the structuresdescribed herein as performing the recited function and not onlystructural equivalents, but also equivalent structures.

1. A device comprising: a body member for receiving clothes; and ahanging system for hanging the clothes and movable between a retractedposition in which it is contained in the body member, and an extendedposition in which it extends from the body member.
 2. The device ofclaim 1 wherein the hanging system comprises at least two members, oneof which is telescoped in the other and is adapted to move relative tothe other during the movement to and from the retracted and extendedpositions.
 3. The device of claim 1 wherein the hanging system comprisesa telescoping assembly fastened to the inner surface of one wall of thebody member, the assembly comprising at least two members, one of whichis telescoped in the other and is adapted to move relative to the otherduring movement to and from the retracted and extended positions.
 4. Thedevice of claim 3 wherein the hanging system further comprises anadditional telescoping assembly supported by the first-mentionedtelescoping assembly, the additional assembly comprising at least twomembers, one of which is telescoped in the other and is adapted to moverelative to the other.
 5. The device of claim 4 wherein the movement ofthe one member of the additional telescoping assembly is in a planeperpendicular to the plane of movement of the one member of thefirst-mentioned telescoping assembly.
 6. The device of claim 5 furthercomprising at least one support member attached to the first-mentionedtelescoping assembly and having a through opening for receiving theadditional telescoping assembly so that the additional telescopingassembly is supported by the first-mentioned telescoping assembly. 7.The device of claim 3 wherein the hanging system further comprises anadditional telescoping assembly fastened to the inner surface of anotherwall of the body member, the additional assembly comprising at least twomembers, one of which is telescoped in the other and is adapted to moverelative to the other during the movement to and from the retracted andextended positions.
 8. The device of claim 7 wherein the first-mentionedtelescoping assembly and the additional telescoping assembly projectfrom the body member in the extended position.
 9. The device of claim 7wherein the hanging system further comprises another telescopingassembly fastened to the first-mentioned telescoping assembly and to theadditional telescoping assembly, the other telescoping assemblycomprising at least two members, one of which is telescoped in the otherand is adapted to move relative to the other during the movement to andfrom the retracted and extended positions.
 10. The device of claim 9wherein the movement of the one member of the other additionaltelescoping assembly is in a plane perpendicular to the plane ofmovement of the one member of the first-mentioned telescoping assemblyand to the one member of the additional telescoping assembly.
 11. Thedevice of claim 10 further comprising a support member attached to thefirst-mentioned telescoping assembly and a support member attached tothe additional telescoping assembly, each support member having athrough opening for receiving the other additional telescoping assembly,so that the other telescoping assembly is supported by thefirst-mentioned telescoping assembly and the additional telescopingassembly.
 12. A method comprising the steps of: containing clothes in abody member; manually moving a hanging system for the clothes between aretracted position in which it is supported by, and contained in, thebody member, and an extended position in which it is supported by, andextends from, the body member; and hanging the clothes on the hangingsystem in its extended position.
 13. The method of claim 12 wherein aportion of the hanging system projects from the body member in theextended position.
 14. The method of claim 12 wherein the step of movingcomprises unzipping a zipper on the body member to expose an opening inthe body member, grasping the hanging system when in its retractedposition, and pulling a portion of the hanging system out from theopening and to its extended position.
 15. The method of claim 12 whereinthe hanging system includes at least two members, one of which istelescoped in the other, and wherein the step of moving comprises movingone member relative to the other.
 16. The method of claim 12 wherein thehanging system includes at least one telescoping assembly fastened tothe inner surface of one wall of the body member and having at least twomembers one of which is telescoped in the other, and wherein the step ofmoving comprises moving one member relative to the other.
 17. The methodof claim 16 wherein there are at least two telescoping assemblies, andwherein the step of moving comprises moving one member of one assemblyrelative to its corresponding other member, and moving one member ofanother assembly relative to its corresponding other member in a planeperpendicular to the movement of the one member of the one assembly. 18.A clothes carrying device comprising: a body member for receivingclothes; and means for hanging the clothes, the means being movablebetween a retracted position in which it is contained in the bodymember, and an extended position in which it extends from the bodymember.